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RHS Sports Roundup: Football Team Travels to Peabody Friday Night

The Revere High football team, which enjoyed a bye week over the Columbus Day weekend, will bounce back into action this Friday night when Coach Lou Cicatelli and his Patriots trek up Route 1 to take on Peabody, their first opponent of this year from the Pats’ Cape Ann League/Northeastern Conference Division 1.

The Tanners have been experiencing a season rarely seen. Not only have the Tanners dropped all five of their contests, but they have lost by some eye-popping margins. All told, Peabody has been outscored 174-41 in its five contests, a per game average of 35-8.

The Patriots on the other hand, are in the midst of a fine 3-1 campaign thus far. Cicatelli’s crew has parlayed a tough defense and a balanced offense to rate as one of the top teams in the overall CAL/NEC.

Peabody and Revere have played a common opponent, Salem, with the Tanners losing by a 38-8 score and Revere falling by a 20-6 decision that was a 6-6 contest until 4:30 of the final period. So on paper, the Pats rate as a solid favorite to improve to 4-1. Kickoff time Friday evening is 7:00.

RHS golf team defeats English

The Revere High golf team defeated Lynn English, 38.5-33.5, on the latter’s home course at te Gannon Country Club this past Thursday. The contest was a close one, with Revere only ahead by two points with the final foursome of the teams’ No. 7 and No. 8 players still to come home.

However, Jason Seigal, playing in the No. 8 spot for the Patriots, defeated his English opponent by a wide margin, 7-2, to secure the triumph.

Other winners against their English counterparts for Coach Matt Nazzaro’s squad were captains John Cimarutta (6-3) and Mark Maloney (5-4) at No. 1 and No 2, and Jeff Kingston and Gennaro Cataldo, both by scores of 5-4.

Although the Patriot came out on the short end of a 40.5-31.5 decision to Peabody earlier last week, the match was as close as a Revere team ever has come to Peabody, with the Patriots trailing by just one point with the No. 7 and No. 8 players to go.

Maloney at No. 2 was a standout, defeating his Peabody counterpart 6-3. Kingston won his match 5.5-3.5 and John Papasodora was the big Revere winner on the day by a 6.5-2.5 margin.

A match on Tuesday against Salem at Old Salem Green was a heartbreaker for the Patriots, who dropped a 41-31 decision.

“We had beaten Salem before and we were poised to win again,” said Nazzaro. “But one of our players (Gennaro Cataldo) had to be taken off the course due to illness. He had to forfeit, giving Salem a seven point cushion right out of the gate.”

Cimmaruta defeated his opponent, 5-4, and Maloney halved his match, 4.5-4.5. Kingston got back a lot of the points Revere had given up with the forfeit, topping his Salem rival, 6.5-2.5.

The Patriots are set to conclude their 2012 season this week with two home matches, hosting Beverly yesterday (Tuesday) and Winthrop tomorrow.

Boys soccer tea wins two contests

The Revere High boys soccer team broke into the win column with a pair of solid 2-1 victories over Saugus and Gloucester this past week.

The reversal of the Patriots’ fortunes can be traced to a personnel switch made by RHS head coach Nik Tower at halftime of the Saugus contest when he moved his keeper, Tarik Maddrey, into the field.

The change paid immediate dividends, as Maddrey provided an instant spark for the Patriots by scoring two goals, the first on a breakaway and the second on a header from a corner kick delivered by Quais Ghulam.

Saugus got one back, but Revere’s newly-inserted keeper, Oscar Palencia-Pinto, and the Revere defense held firm the rest of the way to preserve the victory.

The next victory over Gloucester followed the same script, with Maddrey giving Revere a goal on another header off a cross pass form Ghulam and Wilmer Cruz duplicating the feat with a header of his own that reached the back of the Gloucester net.

The lone setback of the week came Saturday to Danvers, probably the best team in the Northeastern Conference this season, by a 3-1 score. Maddrey notched the Patriot goal, giving him four goals in the three games since he was moved to the field.

“We played well all week, even in the game we lost against Danvers” said Tower. “Tarik has given us a lift on offense and Oscar made some great saves for us in the net.”

The Patriots will be back in action today (Wednesday) at Swampscott and will host Winthrop Friday. They will travel to Peabody Tuesday.

Nelson sets RHS mark on home course

Junior Nikki Nelson continues to set the standard for the Revere High girls cross country team. Nelson set a new school record on the RHS course, running 19:35, to capture first place in last week’s meet with Lynn Classical which was won by the Lady Patriots, 15-47.

“Nikki just keeps getting better week after week,” said RHS head coach Katie Sinnott. “She has really gotten used to finishing as the top RHS girl and she is working hard to stay there.

“Her speed only betters her teammates, as they consistently look to chase her,” added Sinnott. “Hayley Mangino ran strong and moved up to the third RHS finisher, a position she held most of last season. We had several girls run personal best times on our home course. They were Ghizlane Benzerdjeb, Evelyn Bonilla, Dakota DeLuca, and Meloee Nazaire. Mel, a freshman, was the most improved runner, taking off over three minutes from our last race at home. She was very proud of herself; as were the team and myself of her.”

The complete individual results for the girls were as follows:

Nikki Nelson – 1st overall – 19:35

Caitlyn Carmello – 2nd overall – 21:57

Hayley Mangino – 3rd overall – 23:36

Alanna Pasco – 4th overall – 24:01

Jaclynne Dion – 5th overall – 24:21

Ghizlane Benzerdjeb – 7th overall – 26:39

Jennifer Dandrow – 9th overall – 26:52

Aouli Labeche – 10th overall – 27:23

Jessica Ventura – 12th overall – 29:12

Rayana Benzahora – 13th overall – 30:03

Alessandra Sabella – 14th overall – 30:21

Evelyn Bonilla – 16th overall – 31:04

Meloee Nazaire – 17th overall – 34:08

Monica Reyes – 18th overall – 34:10

Dakota DeLuca – 19th overall – 34:36

Boys cross country team runs past Classical

The Revere High boys cross country team shifted into high gear to come away with a 15-50 shutout victory over Lynn Classical Tuesday.

Leading the way for Coach Mike Flynn’s squad was Kristi Nushi, who finished all alone in a time of 16:42. “Kristi has been very consistent for us all season,” sad Flynn. “He wasn’t pushed and he still ran a time that is on a par with his other races.”

Karim Sahila was next across the line for the Pats in a clocking of 17:09 a personal record (PR). He was followed by teammates Rawlings Toglon in 17:24, John DelloRusso in 17:48 (whom Flynn lauded for “running a strong race despite cramping up”), William Truong in 18:28, Mohamed Bensadok (who is just back from an injury) in 18:31, Derek Fortuna in 18:32, Jay Mistri in a PR of 19:24, Boun Chea in 20:14, Chris Genty in 21:48, Dominic Giangregorio in 27:21, Carl Bendeck in 27:37, and Anderson Venagas in 32:28.

“I’m very proud of the way the entire team has performed this season,” said Flynn. “Everyone has improved throughout the year and all have recorded personal best times.”

The Patriots will travel to Salem today (Wednesday) and trek to Peabody Tuesday.

Girls soccer team drops encounters

The Revere High girls soccer team came out on the short end of a three contests this past week, which included well-played, close losses of 3-1 to Saugus and 3-2 to Gloucester. Paola Ortiz scored a goal in both games and Taylor Fiore reached the back of the net in the Gloucester tilt, a match in which the teams were tied until Gloucester scored the winning goal with 15 minutes to play.

“The girls are working hard and overall playing well,” said RHS head coach Natalie Lyons, who lauded the play of her keeper, Amy Rotger, stopper Danielle Smith, sweeper Rachel Adreani, outside defender Eliza Anderson, and center midfielder Dayna Brown. “We had some nice opportunities to get a tie in the Gloucester game, but we just couldn’t connect.”